Intracorporeal catheter assembly

ABSTRACT

An intracorporeal catheter assembly comprises a catheter having a conically shaped hub, which as molded has one inner wall made to lie in a common plane with a connected inner wall of the catheter. A semiflexible cone-like sleeve is mounted within the catheter hub with the inner taper of this sleeve adapted to receive and retain the distal end of an intravenous feeding system. A needle is initially passed between the outer surface of the hub-mounted sleeve and the inner wall of the catheter hub and through the catheter. This needle when inserted into and through the catheter acts as a shutoff valve for the flow from the feeding system until after the catheter has been placed in the vein whereupon the needle is withdrawn and the semiflexible sleeve and the connected feeding system is secured in the hub of the catheter by urging the distal end of the feeding system and the sleeve forwardly into the hub after which intravenous flow is commenced.

llnited States Patent i191 Schwartz [54] INTRACORPOREAL CATI-IETERASSEMBLY [76] Inventor: Boris Schwartz, 400 Park Ave.,

Paterson, NJ. 07504 i221 Filed; l May 29,1973

[21] Appl. No.: 364,756

[52] U.S. Cl. 12S/221, 128/214.4 [51] Int. Cl. A61m 5/32, A6lm 25/00[58] Field of Search 12S/214.4, 214.2, 214 R,

12S/221, 218 M, 348, 349 R, DIG. 28, 272; 215/6, DIG. 3; 128/274, DIG.16

i451 Feb. 4, 1975 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet AssistantExaminer-I. C. McGowan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ralph R. Roberts [57]ABSTRACT An intracorporeal catheter assembly comprises a catheter havinga conically shaped hub, which as molded has one inner wall made to liein a common plane with a connected inner wall of the catheter. Asemiflexible cone-like sleeve is mounted within the -catheter hub 'withthe inner taper of this sleeve adapted to receive and retain the distalend of an intravenous feeding system. A needle is initially passedbetween the outer sur-A face of the hub-mounted sleeve and the innerwall of the catheter hub and through the catheter. This needle wheninserted into and through the catheter acts as a shutoff valve for theflow from the feedingvsystem until after the catheter has been placed inthe vein whereupon the needle is withdrawn and the semifIexi ble sleeveand the connected feeding system is secured' in the hub of the lcatheterby urging the distal end of the feeding system and the sleeve forwardlyinto the hub after which intravenous flow is commenced.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 INTRACORPOREAL CATHETER ASSEMBLYBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The field of artas established in the U.S. Pat. Office and to which this inventionpertains is found in the general Class of Surgery" (Class 128) and moreparticularly in the subclass of"dosing devices" (subclass 213).

1n particular this catheter pertains to the subclass thereunder ofdevices pertaining to "intravenous, coaxial (subclass 214.4).

2. Description of the Prior Art There have been many approaches Vto asystem for providing a flexible catheter with means for determining theintravascular placement of the catheter into the body of the patient.Among the patents directed toward said systems is U.S. Pat. No,3,323,299 to SPADEMAN of Apr. 11, 1967. In this patent, as with manyothers, the fluid connection is made as a branch portion of the memberto which the flexible cannula is attached. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,828,744 toHIRISCH of Apr. 1, 1958 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,884to DOHERTY of Jan.23, 1962 there are showings of apparatus in which a flexible catheter isused with a needle to enable a penetration of and by the catheter oftheskin. After the penetration of the skin and vein by the catheter andneedle is accomplished, the needle is withdrawn from the catheter andthe fluid flow tubing system is connected to a socket receiving end ofthe catheter. The removing of the needle from the catheter andsubsequent connection to the intravascular feeding tubing system isoften made with various amounts of spillage occurring. In my US, Pat No.3,599,637 as issued on Aug. 17, 1971, a metal needle is inserted into aflexed length of rubber tubing prior to insertion through the internalpassageway of the catheter and after intravascular insertion is made theneedle is removed through the self-sealing rubber tubing and fluid flowbegins.

It is an object of this invention to present a catheter unlikeconventional catheters in that the catheter of this invention has itsmain axis extended along one inand along the hub side aligned with thecatheter and I then into and through the catheter. The needle in itsoccupyingof the passageway of the catheter is locked in position by thedistal portion of a semiflexible tubular member fitted into the conicalhub with this needle acting as a shutoff for fluid flow of the feeding,injecting or draining of fluid to and through the catheter until theneedle is withdrawn from the catheter. Upon withdrawal of the needle thedistal part of the semiflexible member which has been prior connected toa feeding, injecting or drainage unit expands to fill the space occupiedby the needle and is further locked in place during the operation ofpushing the catheter into the intrabody structure (eg. vein, artery,bladder, spinal canal, etc.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The catheter assembly of this inventionincludes a length of.flexible plastic tubing having its distal endtapered to assist in the penetration of the skin of the patient. Thiscatheter is used in combination with a needleto accomplish thepenetration. The other end of the catheter is attached to or isintegrally molded to a conical hub portion which provides a taperedentrance into the bore of the catheter. In the molding of the hub itsaxis is disposed at an angle to the axis of the catheter bore so that atone particular point or portion on the inside surface of the hub theaxis ofthe catheter is coincident with and extends along one innersurface of the hub. The outer portion of the hub receives and retainsashort portion of a tapered plastic tubular member which is sized to fitthe hub. This tubular member is sufficiently resilient or compressibleso as to flt partially around a needle. The inner contour of the plasticcone is sized to receive and retain the discharge end of a feeding,injecting or drainage tubing assembly. A needle having one end usuallyattached to or attachable to a syringe container, flashback member orlike negative pressure creating device is inserted through the hub andlays against one side surface of the hub, the axis of the needle leadinginto the catheter is adjacent one side of the inside hub surface. Theneedle after passing through the hub is caused to enter the taperedopening in the hub and to then be slidably advanced to and through thecatheter. The conical semiflexible insert is then inserted into the hubforcibly, its distal portion compressing against the needle and lockingit in place for body puncture through the skin- (eg. vein, artery,bladder, spinal canal).

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of a catheter contoured toreceive a conical semiflexible tubular member into which is received theend of a feeding, injecting or drainage unit. With the catheter there isalso shown a needle which is connected to a means for creating anegative pressure to determine the placement of the catheter in the bodyof the patient as in a vein. This specific embodiment and a modificationthereof have been chosen for the purposes of illustration anddescription as shown inthe accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. l represents a sectional side viewof an intracorporeal catheter assembly of this invention and assembledfor venipuncture;

FIG. 2 represents the sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. l butwith the needle portion of the assembly withdrawn from the catheter andthe catheter portion assembled to a tubing end of a feeding, injectingor'drainage unit;

FIG. 3 represents a slightly enlarged sectional view taken on the line3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 represents a sectional side view of a catheter assembly as inFIG. 1 but with an additionalneedle guide and retainer formed on theinterior surface of the hub;

FIG. 5 represents the sectional side view of the assembly of FIG. 4 butwith the needle portion of the assembly withdrawn and the assemblywithdrawn from the catheter and the catheter portion assembled to aneric in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer tolike members throughout the two figures of the drawing.

The drawing accompanying` and forming part of this specificationdiscloses certain details of construction for the purpose of explanationof the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understoodthat structural details may be modified in various respects withoutdeparture from the concept and principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingsand in particular to FIGS. l, 2 and 3 it is to be noted that a cathetermember l is preferably made of a flexible plastic. ln the shownarrangement the catheter has a reduced diameter forward portion 12 whichhas its front, forward or end 14 tapered to a thin edge. The catheterhas its leftward or rear end enlarged to provide a conical hub 16. Thishub section 16 is preferably rigid or semirigid and it and the catheterportion have their bores sized to provide a sliding fit and passagewayfora needle 20 along one side of the inner surface of the cone-like hub.The needle 20 has its forward end sharpened or pointed in a conventionalmanner to assist in the puncture of the skin of the patient. This needleat its rearward end is connected to an aspirating device 22, whichdevice may be in the form of a flexible bottle, syringe or flashbackdetermination device. Inserted into the hub 16 is a flexible andsemirigid conical member 24 of thin plastic. As molded and in use theconical shape of thehub has one side of the hub aligned with thecatheter portion.

The conical member 24 is of a material which is sufficientlycompressible so that the needle 20 after being inserted through the hub16 and the catheter l2 as in FIG. l and then withdrawn as in FIG. 2expands from its slightly deflected condition of FIG. 1 so that itsdistal or forward one-third to one-half length which initially engagedthe needle expands to occupy this space and prevent leakage of fluid andrenders the system fluidtight. The tubing 30 forming the feeding systemis conventionally and universally flexible so that it may be furthertightened by locking into the hub socket 16 as in FIG. 1 during forwardinsertion of the catheter 12 and needle 20 to and through the skin ofthe patient.

The leftward end of the compressible member 24 is sized so as to receiveand retain thisdistal end ofa feeding, injecting or drainage unit 30. Itis to be noted that the hub portion 16 is formed with a chamfered ortapered entrance to the bore portion of catheter portion 12 whichprovides a guide for the entrance and passage of the needle into andthrough the passageway of the catheter and hub. The semirigid tubularmember 24 is preferably of a thin plastic material to occupy minimalspace and be compressible and able to receive into its proximal largerhalf the fluid conducting unit 30 in a fluid-tight manner. For ease ofidentification and description conical member 24 is hereinafter calledthe -intermediate collar."

USE AND OPERATION The catheter assembly l0 may be made as either one ortwo members. If made as two members the hub 16 and catheter l2 arejoined in a fluid-tight assembly. The needle 20 is inserted into thishub 16 and through the catheter 12 after which intermediate collar 24,which is sized to snugly engage the interior of the hub socket 16, ismounted in this socket. This assembly is retained in the condition as inFIG. 1 until time of use when the distal end ofthe feeding, injecting ordrainage unit 30 is inserted into collar 24. The point of the needle 20is caused to protrude an amount sufficient to permit a puncture andpenetration of the skin of the patient who is to receive the feeding,flow or the like.

The needle 20 and enclosing catheter assembly l0 of FIG. l is insertedinto the body (eg. vein, artery. etc.) of the patient in the normalmanner. The presence of blood in the flashback or syringe is anindication of a satisfactory entrance into a vein where this is thedesired result. An absence of blood, of course. indicates to theattendant that the needle is not in the vein. After the placement of theneedle into the vein has been confirmed, the needle 20 and flashbackdevice 22 attached thereto is withdrawn from the assembly and thecompressed distal part of intermediate collar 24 expands to fill thespace formerly occupied by the needle shank and allows the attachedsystem to flow in a fluid-tight manner. After the needle 20 has beenwithdrawn the intermediate collar 24 assumes the contour of the hub 16as in FIG. 2 and is further locked by the forward pushing of thecatheter into the body. The needle 20 when in the bore of thecatheter'12 acts as a shutoff or flow restrictor to fluid carried in theconnected feeding, injecting or drainage tube.

After the needle 20 is withdrawn from the catheter l2, the flow of fluidfrom the feeding tube is permitted to pass through member 30 and thenthrough the catheter and into the body (eg. vein) of the patient. Thearrangement of FIG. 2 provides a neat and compact single channelarrangement which permits the taping of the hub 16 and flexible member22 to the skin of the patient in a conventional manner. The forwardinsertion of the catheter 12 into the body of the patient (eg. vein)usually performed by gripping the feeding insert 30 and hub of thecatheter acts to further lock the intermediate collar 24 into the hub16. The intermediate collar, as in FIG. 1, may have one or more shortlongitudinal slits 32 at its distal portion to facilitate compressionagainst or around the needle and expansion after removal of the needle.The length'and diameter of the catheter l2 is merely a matter ofselection. The needle 20 used with the selected catheter is sized toslide into the bore of the catheter and the needle is ofa length so thatwhen assembled as in FIG. 1 the sharpened end of the needle extendsbeyond the tapered end l4 of the catheter to act as the initial portionto penetrate the skin of the patient.

A second catheter of narrower diameter but much longer length than thecatheter 12 may be threaded through collar 24 instead of a fluid flowsystem and upon removal of the needle 20 following body penetration (eg.vein or artery) the second catheter is threaded through the firstcatheter into the body. Customarily, this second catheter is protectedfrom contamination by a thin malleable plastic sheath while beingthreaded through catheter 12 andl into the vein of the patient.

The hub 16 may be a separately formed part of` rigid or semirigidplastic or may be of metal. The catheter l2 may be molded to this hub ormay be cemented in place or may be swaged into a fluid-tight connection.It is only necessary that the fluid passageway from the hub to thecatheter be fluid tight and that the hub be displaced at an angle to thecatheter so that-the axis of the catheter will pass along and parallelto one side wall of one local inner hub surface.

ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT OF FIGS. 4, 5 AND 6 Referring finally to FIGS. 4, 5and 6 there is shown an alternate assembly to that of FIG. l. In thisassembly the hub 116 has formed on its inner surface and in where theintermediate collar 24'and/or the hub 116 is flexible to the extent thatthe needle would tend to displace the collar 24 during the withdrawal ofthe needle. The ears 131 and 132 also assist in aligning the needle forinitial insertion into the catheter 12. The collar 24 in this embodimentis contemplated as being a relatively' thin conical tube having no cutsin its length. Its use and manipulation correspond to the description ofthe assembly of FIG. l.

It is, of course, recognized that the distal end 30 of the feedingsystem can be made as a permanent connection to or with an integrallymolded end which is then the intermediate member 24. In this arrangementneedle 20 is inserted into the catheter l0 and would remain in thiscondition until just before use. The onepiece member replacing tubing 30and intermediate member 24 would then be mounted into hub 16 or 116 asin FIG. l or FIG. 4. Penetration is accomplished and the needlewithdrawn as above-described.

Terms such vas left, right, up, down, front, back," in," "out and thelike are applicable to the embodiments shown and described inconjunction with the drawing. These terms are merely for the purposes ofdescription and do not necessarily apply to the position in which theintracorporeal catheter may be constructed or used. The conception ofthis catheter assembly and its application is not limited to thespecific embodiment shown but departures therefrom may be made withinthe scope of the accompanying claimsand protection is sought to thebroadest extent the prior art allows.

j What is claimed is:

l. A single-channeled intracorporeal catheter having a receiving socketfor connection to the distal end of a fluid conducting system forfeeding, injecting and draining, said catheter and connection including:(a) a catheter member of flexible tubing having its intermediate portionformed with a relatively constant bore, said catheter having a distalend of tapered configuration and having its other end secured in afluidtight manner to a hub having a tapered socket terminating at andconnecting to this bore, the size of the socket progressively increasingas it approaches and reaches the open end of the hub'and having the axisof this ta.- pered socket disposed at a divergent angle to the bore ofthe catheter so that the inner surface ofone side portion of the taperedsocket of this hub is parallel to the axis of the catheter bore; (b) atubular intermediate member of semirigid material and having a residualbias and having both a tapered bore and an outer tapered configurationwhich mates with and is snugly f1tted into the tapered socket of thehub, the tapered bore of said intermediate member sized' and configuredto provide a tapered socket to receive and retain the distal end of afluid conducting system, and (c) a needle slidably mounted within thecatheter bore, this needle positioned so as to lay along and on thatinner side wall surface portion ofthe tapered socket portion ofthe hubthat lies in a common plane with the catheter axis, said needle having asharpened point on its distal end, the outer diameter of the needlesized so as to be slidable in the bore of the catheter member` saidneedle when mounted in the catheter havinga sufficient length to enableits midshaft to pass through the tapered socket of the hub and bore ofthe said catheter` the point of the needle extending beyond the distalend of the catheter while the needle is slidably retained between theouter surface of the intermediate member and the wall of the taperedsocket of the hub, this needle midshaft displacing and to a degreecompressing that inserted portion of the intermediate member adjacentthe bore of the catheter, the angle divergence of the axis of the hub ofthe catheter and the mounted intermediate member from the axis of thecatheter being sufficient for the shaft of the mounted'needle to avoidinterference with and permit ready seating and securing of the distalend of a fluid conducting system in the receiving socket of theintermediate member and as and after the needle is withdrawn from thebore of the catheter the intermediate member by its residual bias movesfrom its displaced condition and into a fluid sealing condition with thetapered socket formed with the hub. I

2. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the needle is ofhollow construction and having that end opposite the sharpened endattachable to a blood receiving and indicating device4 3. Anintracorporeal catheter as in claim l in which the catheter member is offlexible plastic and the hub is of a more rigid plastic to which thecatheter member is attached in a fluid-tight manner.

4. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the intermediatetubular member is ofcompressible plastic of about sixty to seventydurometer hardness and has at least one slit longitudinally disposed ofonehalf to one-third the length ofthe intermediate member, said slitformed through thevwall and in the smaller end of the tubular member.

5. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the tapered bore ofthe intermediate member and distal end of the connected fluid conductorare compatibly configured so that when pushedv forwardly into the body,after removal of the needle, the tapered configurations further lock theend ofthe fluid conductor in the intermediate member and theintermediate member into the tapered socket in the catheter hub.

6. An intracorporeal catheter-as in claim 1 in which the inner surfaceof the tapered socket in the hub is formed with inwardly directed earguides, said guides adapted to engage the shank of a needle to guide theneedle during withdrawal from a body structure and through the bore ofthe catheter and then past the intermediate member the combined residualbias of the intermediate member and thel catheter hub sufficient toclose that area prior occupied by the just withdrawn needle to preventblood seepage from this needle passageway by and between the hub socketinner surface and the intermediate member's outer tapered surface.

7. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the catheter andextending needle point in the assem- 7 bled condition are adapted forready penetration through the skin and into the body.

8. A single-channeled intracorporeal catheter having a receiving socketfor connection to the distal end of a fluid conducting system forfeeding, injecting, draining and the like for use with a patient, saidcatheter and connection including: (a) a catheter member of flexibletubing having its intermediate portion formed with a relatively constantbore, said catheter having a distal end of tapered configuration andhaving its other end secured in a fluid-tight manner to a hub whoseinner surface is formed with a cone-like configuration and having theaxis of this inner cone-like configuration disposed at such an angledivergent to the catheters axis that the inner surface of one sideportion of the hub is parallel to the axis of the catheter bore, thecone-like bore of the hub increasing. from a bore diameter substantiallyequal to the bore of the catheter`s flowconnected end to a largerdiameter toward the open end of the hub; (b) an intermediate member ofsemirigid material and having a residual bias and having both a taperedbore and an outer conical shape, this outer conical shape mating withand snugly fitted into the conelike bore of the hub, the tapered bore ofsaid intermediate member sized and configured to provide a taperedsocket to receive and retain the distal end of a fluid conductingsystem, said member having at least one longitudinally disposed slit ofone-half to one-third the length of the intermediate member, said slitformed through the wall and in the smaller end of said member, and (c) aneedle slidably mounted within the catheter bore poisitoned so as to layalong and on that inner side wall surface portion of the hub that liesin a common plane with the catheter axis, said needle having a sharpenedpoint on one end, the outer diameter ofthe needle sized so as to beslidable in the bore of the catheter member and when in said catheterbore providing a fluid shutoff to any flow from a fluid conductingsystem connected to the open end of the intermediate member and fromthence to the catheter, said needle further constructed with adetermined length so that when mounted in the catheter to pass throughhub and bore of the said catheter the point of the needle extends beyondthe distal end of the catheter, the needle while inserted between theintermediate member and the hub inner wall also entering thelongitudinally formed slit to reduce displacement of the inner portionof the mounted intermediate member and as and after the needle iswithdrawn the intermediate member by its residual bias moves into afluid sealing condition with the cone-like configuration formed withinthe hub.

1. A single-channeled intracorporeal catheter having a receiving socketfor connection to the distal end of a fluid conducting system forfeeding, injecting and draining, said catheter and connection including:(a) a catheter member of flexible tubing having its intermediate portionformed with a relatively constant bore, said catheter having a distalend of tapered configuration and having its other end secured in afluid-tight manner to a hub having a tapered socket terminating at andconnecting to this bore, the size of the socket progressively increasingas it approaches and reaches the open end of the hub and having the axisof this tapered socket disposed at a divergent angle to the bore of thecatheter so that the inner surface of one side portion of the taperedsocket of this hub is parallel to the axis of the catheter bore; (b) atubular intermediate member of semirigid material and having a residualbias and having both a tapered bore and an outer tapered configurationwhich mates with and is snugly fitted into the tapered socket of thehub, the tapered bore of said intermediate member sized and configuredto provide a tapered socket to receive and retain the distal end of afluid conducting system, and (c) a needle slidably mounted within thecatheter bore, this needle positioned so as to lay along and on thatinner side wall surface portion of the tapered socket portion of the hubthat lies in a common plane with the catheter axis, said needle having asharpened point on its distal end, the outer diameter of the needlesized so as to be slidable in the bore of the catheter member, saidneedle when mounted in the catheter having a sufficient length to enableits midshaft to pass through the tapered socket of the hub and bore ofthe said catheter, the point of the needle extending beyond the distalend of the catheter while the needle is slidably retained between theouter surface of the intermediate member and the wall of the taperedsocket of the hub, this needle midshaft displacing and to a degreecompressing that inserted portion of the intermediate member adjacentthe bore of the catheter, tHe angle divergence of the axis of the hub ofthe catheter and the mounted intermediate member from the axis of thecatheter being sufficient for the shaft of the mounted needle to avoidinterference with and permit ready seating and securing of the distalend of a fluid conducting system in the receiving socket of theintermediate member and as and after the needle is withdrawn from thebore of the catheter the intermediate member by its residual bias movesfrom its displaced condition and into a fluid sealing condition with thetapered socket formed with the hub.
 2. An intracorporeal catheter as inclaim 1 in which the needle is of hollow construction and having thatend opposite the sharpened end attachable to a blood receiving andindicating device.
 3. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in whichthe catheter member is of flexible plastic and the hub is of a morerigid plastic to which the catheter member is attached in a fluid-tightmanner.
 4. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which theintermediate tubular member is of compressible plastic of about sixty toseventy durometer hardness and has at least one slit longitudinallydisposed of one-half to one-third the length of the intermediate member,said slit formed through the wall and in the smaller end of the tubularmember.
 5. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the taperedbore of the intermediate member and distal end of the connected fluidconductor are compatibly configured so that when pushed forwardly intothe body, after removal of the needle, the tapered configurationsfurther lock the end of the fluid conductor in the intermediate memberand the intermediate member into the tapered socket in the catheter hub.6. An intracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the inner surfaceof the tapered socket in the hub is formed with inwardly directed earguides, said guides adapted to engage the shank of a needle to guide theneedle during withdrawal from a body structure and through the bore ofthe catheter and then past the intermediate member the combined residualbias of the intermediate member and the catheter hub sufficient to closethat area prior occupied by the just withdrawn needle to prevent bloodseepage from this needle passageway by and between the hub socket innersurface and the intermediate member''s outer tapered surface.
 7. Anintracorporeal catheter as in claim 1 in which the catheter andextending needle point in the assembled condition are adapted for readypenetration through the skin and into the body.
 8. A single-channeledintracorporeal catheter having a receiving socket for connection to thedistal end of a fluid conducting system for feeding, injecting, drainingand the like for use with a patient, said catheter and connectionincluding: (a) a catheter member of flexible tubing having itsintermediate portion formed with a relatively constant bore, saidcatheter having a distal end of tapered configuration and having itsother end secured in a fluid-tight manner to a hub whose inner surfaceis formed with a cone-like configuration and having the axis of thisinner cone-like configuration disposed at such an angle divergent to thecatheter''s axis that the inner surface of one side portion of the hubis parallel to the axis of the catheter bore, the cone-like bore of thehub increasing from a bore diameter substantially equal to the bore ofthe catheter''s flowconnected end to a larger diameter toward the openend of the hub; (b) an intermediate member of semirigid material andhaving a residual bias and having both a tapered bore and an outerconical shape, this outer conical shape mating with and snugly fittedinto the cone-like bore of the hub, the tapered bore of saidintermediate member sized and configured to provide a tapered socket toreceive and retain the distal end of a fluid conducting system, saidmember having at least one longitudinally disposed slit of one-half toone-third the length of the intermediate member, said slit formedThrough the wall and in the smaller end of said member, and (c) a needleslidably mounted within the catheter bore poisitoned so as to lay alongand on that inner side wall surface portion of the hub that lies in acommon plane with the catheter axis, said needle having a sharpenedpoint on one end, the outer diameter of the needle sized so as to beslidable in the bore of the catheter member and when in said catheterbore providing a fluid shutoff to any flow from a fluid conductingsystem connected to the open end of the intermediate member and fromthence to the catheter, said needle further constructed with adetermined length so that when mounted in the catheter to pass throughhub and bore of the said catheter the point of the needle extends beyondthe distal end of the catheter, the needle while inserted between theintermediate member and the hub inner wall also entering thelongitudinally formed slit to reduce displacement of the inner portionof the mounted intermediate member and as and after the needle iswithdrawn the intermediate member by its residual bias moves into afluid sealing condition with the cone-like configuration formed withinthe hub.